Posts Tagged ‘CW’
My New Paddle
December 4th, 2015 | 
Author: I recently received Serial # 20 of the commemorative paddle built for the ARRL by Pietro Begali. As you can see below it is the Begali Sculpture paddle with both the ARRL Logo and the Begali logo. The Serial # is on the bottom.
The key is wonderful and it looks good on the desk. It is still available on the ARRL website.
The key is wonderful and it looks good on the desk. It is still available on the ARRL website.
My New Paddle
I recently received Serial # 20 of the commemorative paddle built for the ARRL by Pietro Begali. As you can see below it is the Begali Sculpture paddle with both the ARRL Logo and the Begali logo. The Serial # is on the bottom.
The key is wonderful and it looks good on the desk. It is still available on the ARRL website.
The key is wonderful and it looks good on the desk. It is still available on the ARRL website.
CW Practice With RufzXP
Lately I've been playing with a very helpful piece of CW-training freeware called 'Rufz', an abbreviation of a German word meaning 'Listening to Callsigns'. Rufz is the brainchild of Mathias Kolpe (DL8MM) and Alessandro Vitiello (IV3XYM).
RufzXP is the latest version, compatible with most operating systems from Windows 98 to Win 8.1.
RufzXP is not a contest simulator with QSB and QRM. The program simply sends 50 calls at random, one at a time, starting at your chosen speed. If you correctly type the call, it will increase speed slightly to send the next call. The speed will continue to increase as long as you correctly copy and type the call ... if not, the speed will decrease to the previous level.
This pattern continues until all 50 calls have been sent. The program then displays all of the calls sent, along with the calls that you typed, as well as the speed. You very soon realize the threshold level between copying comfortably at near 100% and where you start to drop off quickly. It really is a great eye-opener and a wonderful way to increase your copying (and typing) ability.
The highest that I have been able to log a few correct calls is at 54 WPM but I can see that with a few minutes of practice each day, this number should continue to improve. Hopefully my ability to type the calls will also improve as my present keyboarding skills are probably being stifled by my 'hunt and peck' style of typing ... I really should have taken typing in high school and have regretted it ever since.
The website for RufzXP contains a wealth of inspiring data, from sound files of various speeds to lists and photos of various high-speed aficionados ... with an impressively large number being European teenagers. It seems that High Speed Telegraphy World Championships are very popular in Europe and many of the champions are quite young. Have a look at some of the teens, aged 16 or younger (both boys and girls) who are copying over 100 WPM ... several of them not even hams.
A particularly interesting page lets you play the word 'PARIS' at various speeds.
Here it is at 20 WPM:
PLAY
... and again at 50 WPM:
PLAY
... yet again at 100 WPM:
PLAY
Now....listen to 'PARIS' being sent at the present record-holding speed of 200 WPM:
PLAY
I have no idea how anyone could copy CW at this speed but apparently YT7AW was able to correctly copy one call out of seven, sent at this speed ... incredible! Perhaps it is the subconscious mind operating at this level.
You may be interested to see someone copying at just over 140 WPM!
If your CW skills need honing, RufzXP might be just the thing you need.
What is the big deal with amateur radio? What is it that you hear? (Part 1)
Shortwave radio has been a source for great sci-fi plots, spy intrigue novels, movies, and so on, since radio first became a “thing.” But, what is the big deal, really? What is it that amateur radio operators listen to?
In this video, I share some of the types of signals one might hear on the high frequencies (also known as shortwave or HF bands). This is the first video in an on-going series introducing amateur radio to the interested hobbyist, prepper, and informed citizen.
I often am asked by preppers, makers, and other hobbyists, who’ve not yet been introduced to the world of amateur radio and shortwave radio: “Just what do you amateur radio operators hear, on the amateur radio shortwave bands?”
To begin answering that question, I’ve taken a few moments on video, to share from my perspective, a bit about this shortwave radio thing:
Link to video: https://youtu.be/pIVesUzNP2U — please share with your non-ham friends.
From my shortwave website:
Shortwave Radio Listening — listen to the World on a radio, wherever you might be. Shortwave Radio is similar to the local AM Broadcast Band on Mediumwave (MW) that you can hear on a regular “AM Radio” receiver, except that shortwave signals travel globally, depending on the time of day, time of year, and space weather conditions.
The International Shortwave Broadcasters transmit their signals in various bands of shortwave radio spectrum, found in the 2.3 MHz to 30.0 MHz range. You might think that you need expensive equipment to receive these international broadcasts, but you don’t! Unlike new Satellite services, Shortwave Radio (which has been around since the beginning of the radio era) can work anywhere with very affordable radio equipment. All that you need to hear these signals from around the World is a radio which can receive frequencies in the shortwave bands. Such radios can be very affordable. Of course, you get what you pay for; if you find that this hobby sparks your interest, you might consider more advanced radio equipment. But you would be surprised by how much you can hear with entry-level shortwave receivers. (You’ll see some of these radios on this page).
You do not need a special antenna, though the better the antenna used, the better you can hear weaker stations. You can use the telescopic antenna found on many of the portable shortwave radios now available. However, for reception of more exotic international broadcasts, you should attach a length of wire to your radio’s antenna or antenna jack.
The 1929 ‘BK’ QSO Party
The month of December will soon be upon us and that means it's 'BK' time once again! The Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party is the annual two-weekend event celebrating the sound of amateur radio as it was in 1929.At no other time of the year can you tune across the bands and hear the melodic sound of radio as it once was ... before the days of crystal-control, when most hams were using self-excited one or two-tube transmitters.
With antennas blowing in the wind, these directly-coupled oscillators often make the band sound like a musical symphony gone wrong ... the wonderful whooping, chirping, buzzing, clicking, drifting, swishing, swaying, warbling, and other interesting sounds of '29, when amateur radio was in its infancy.
If you've ever considered joining-in on the fun, then you still have a few weeks to slap something together for the party ... it need not be 'pretty', but it must be 'compliant'. That is, the tube (or tubes) that you use, must have been available in 1929 or earlier. For receiving, use anything you like ... modern or vintage, as there are no restrictions.
I've penned several blogs on popular circuits and tubes that are commonly used among the BK regulars and they can be viewed here:
Building '29 Style
Building '29 - What To Build? - PT.1
Building '29 - What To Build? - PT.2
More BK Building
With the usual propagation of early December, it is not surprising that many transcontinental QSO's are made every year, even with the little two or three watters. Considering the 10 watt power input rule, it is surprising how strong some signals from across the country can become on the lower bands, especially on 40m.
Please consider rolling-up your sleeves, heating up your soldering iron and putting something together for the BK fun, especially if you are on the left coast ... and don't be the least concerned about how it looks!
For a gallery of inspiration from individuals that were too weak to resist the temptation, have a look at some previously built '29 time machines.
For the first time, I'll be using my newly constructed MOPA, a two-tuber that will hopefully reduce my annual BK windstorm angst. It seems that every BK weekend, I have gale-force winds here on the island, making my signal a little bit 'too musical', although some '29 diehards still claim to love the sound ... for them, there is no hope.
A semi-annual rant about learning CW
I have been seeing this posted more and more on CW minded Facebook pages:
This is the worst! Yuck! Argh! Ack! Ptooey!
Please take my word for it! As I've told so many times before, I know the frustration of not being able to learn CW. I put off getting my license for at least five years (maybe more), because I could not wrap my brain around the code. And one of the major reasons for that lack of brain wrapping was because someone thought that they were doing me a good turn by handing me a chart similar to the one above.
From personal experience, I can tell you that making the jump from audio input to visual input to brain is the perfect recipe for frustration and resignation. I made the mistake of hearing, trying to visualize and then decode. What you need to do is skip that visual step. Morse Code is a heard language, and unless you're in the Navy operating signal lamps, it's primarily an aural language. To this day, I have extreme difficulty (in fact, I don't even bother) when people "type" out cutsie messages using periods and hyphens to make dits and dahs in print. I have to hear it to de-code. No ifs, ands or buts ..... I have to hear it.
Think about it for a second. When you were a baby, how did you learn to talk - by reading, or by listening to your parents and siblings?
So thanks be to God for the Hams who taught my Novice class. They handed me a set of ARRL Morse Code cassettes with only one word of instruction - LISTEN! And in the end, that's what did it, but the damage had already been done. I had to "unlearn" my past efforts and had to re-learn the direct step of "hear, then de-code". For me, that damage lasted well past 5 WPM. I was stuck at the 10 WPM barrier for a long time, and it was only by the Grace of God that I was able to get up to 13 WPM within 6 months in order to earn my General ticket.
So my advice for those wishing to learn Morse?
1) Ditch any visual aids, as if they were a rattlesnake or the plague.
2) Listen to letters being generated at a speed of anywhere from 13-18 WPM. Let the spacing between the letters determine the code speed. If you listen to Morse being generated slowly and drawn out, you're more than likely going to suffer the 10 WPM plateau like I did.
3) Limit your dedicated practice sessions to no more than 15-20 minutes a pop - two sessions a day, max. At other times, I find it helpful to have Morse playing quietly, almost subliminally in the background while driving, doing chores, etc. IMHO, it gets your brain used to hearing it, and before you know it, you're going to be picking out characters without even realizing it. Lastly, I never liked the concept of listening to random characters once I learned the alphabet. From then on, I found it most useful to listen to actual words and not letter groups. Let's face it, unless you're a spy, you're going to be on the air making conversation - not sending clandestine messages.
4) Once you've learned all the characters and numbers and basic punctuation, and feel somewhat confident in being able to de-code, then get on the air and make QSOs. Real live QSOs are without a doubt, the best vehicle towards increasing your code speed. You can find a lot of beginners hanging out in the 7.120 MHz neighborhood of 40 Meters.
5) Relax, and don't get down on yourself. We all learn things at different speeds. Some people are quick studies and then there are people like me. But if you stick with it, you will get it - I promise.
6) Make full use of W1AW code practice and all the free CW learning software that's out there. Personally, I keep "Morse Trainer" by Wolphi on my phone. It's not a free app, you have to pay for it, but it will generate Morse at speeds up to 60 WPM. I keep it set at 40 WPM. Can I de-code Morse that fast? No way in heck! But I can tell you that after listening (JUST listening - not even trying to decipher) code at that speed for 15 minutes .... code sent at 25 or 28 WPM sounds a lot slower than it used to.
I suffered the double whammy. I had to "unlearn" the aural to visual to brain process; and then once I actually learned the code, I had to unlearn the "code letters sent at 5 WPM" error. Look at me now - CW is my most preferred mode and I am comfortable anywhere around the 25 WPM mark! On a good day, if I don't tense up, I can go for short bursts of 30 -35 WPM. The bottom line is, that learning and becoming proficient with Morse Code is not impossible, in most cases.
Take it from someone who thought it was.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Please take my word for it! As I've told so many times before, I know the frustration of not being able to learn CW. I put off getting my license for at least five years (maybe more), because I could not wrap my brain around the code. And one of the major reasons for that lack of brain wrapping was because someone thought that they were doing me a good turn by handing me a chart similar to the one above.
From personal experience, I can tell you that making the jump from audio input to visual input to brain is the perfect recipe for frustration and resignation. I made the mistake of hearing, trying to visualize and then decode. What you need to do is skip that visual step. Morse Code is a heard language, and unless you're in the Navy operating signal lamps, it's primarily an aural language. To this day, I have extreme difficulty (in fact, I don't even bother) when people "type" out cutsie messages using periods and hyphens to make dits and dahs in print. I have to hear it to de-code. No ifs, ands or buts ..... I have to hear it.
Think about it for a second. When you were a baby, how did you learn to talk - by reading, or by listening to your parents and siblings?
So thanks be to God for the Hams who taught my Novice class. They handed me a set of ARRL Morse Code cassettes with only one word of instruction - LISTEN! And in the end, that's what did it, but the damage had already been done. I had to "unlearn" my past efforts and had to re-learn the direct step of "hear, then de-code". For me, that damage lasted well past 5 WPM. I was stuck at the 10 WPM barrier for a long time, and it was only by the Grace of God that I was able to get up to 13 WPM within 6 months in order to earn my General ticket.
So my advice for those wishing to learn Morse?
1) Ditch any visual aids, as if they were a rattlesnake or the plague.
2) Listen to letters being generated at a speed of anywhere from 13-18 WPM. Let the spacing between the letters determine the code speed. If you listen to Morse being generated slowly and drawn out, you're more than likely going to suffer the 10 WPM plateau like I did.
3) Limit your dedicated practice sessions to no more than 15-20 minutes a pop - two sessions a day, max. At other times, I find it helpful to have Morse playing quietly, almost subliminally in the background while driving, doing chores, etc. IMHO, it gets your brain used to hearing it, and before you know it, you're going to be picking out characters without even realizing it. Lastly, I never liked the concept of listening to random characters once I learned the alphabet. From then on, I found it most useful to listen to actual words and not letter groups. Let's face it, unless you're a spy, you're going to be on the air making conversation - not sending clandestine messages.
4) Once you've learned all the characters and numbers and basic punctuation, and feel somewhat confident in being able to de-code, then get on the air and make QSOs. Real live QSOs are without a doubt, the best vehicle towards increasing your code speed. You can find a lot of beginners hanging out in the 7.120 MHz neighborhood of 40 Meters.
5) Relax, and don't get down on yourself. We all learn things at different speeds. Some people are quick studies and then there are people like me. But if you stick with it, you will get it - I promise.
6) Make full use of W1AW code practice and all the free CW learning software that's out there. Personally, I keep "Morse Trainer" by Wolphi on my phone. It's not a free app, you have to pay for it, but it will generate Morse at speeds up to 60 WPM. I keep it set at 40 WPM. Can I de-code Morse that fast? No way in heck! But I can tell you that after listening (JUST listening - not even trying to decipher) code at that speed for 15 minutes .... code sent at 25 or 28 WPM sounds a lot slower than it used to.
I suffered the double whammy. I had to "unlearn" the aural to visual to brain process; and then once I actually learned the code, I had to unlearn the "code letters sent at 5 WPM" error. Look at me now - CW is my most preferred mode and I am comfortable anywhere around the 25 WPM mark! On a good day, if I don't tense up, I can go for short bursts of 30 -35 WPM. The bottom line is, that learning and becoming proficient with Morse Code is not impossible, in most cases.
Take it from someone who thought it was.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
630 Crossband Excitement
In spite of the mediocre band conditions, this past weekend's 630 crossband activity was a great success. Firstly, it was gratifying to see so much activity from the VE7 region. Last year, it was just John, VE7BDQ, and myself, holding the fort, but this year saw new activity from VE7CNF, VA7MM and VE7CA. If this rate keeps up, the band will soon be getting crowded and wouldn't that be great!
It was only a few short months ago that VE7CNF and VA7MM began tinkering on 630m, their signals barely out of the noise here on Mayne Island. How quickly their stations have evolved into systems now capable of working several thousands of miles on the new band. To make the weekend even more special, Markus, VE7CA, had his first-ever 630m contacts on Saturday, working all of the locals and later in the evening, pushing his 14 watts down into Tahuya, WA, working K7CW on crossband. I'll wager that Markus will treasure that first 'DX' QSO for some time.
Conditions from VE7 on Friday were poor, and although somewhat disappointing, not entirely unexpected after watching the sun play tricks on our geomagnetic field all week long. The only path that seemed somewhat normal was the north-south one, yielding contacts with the Californians. As the K-index briefly dropped to '1', Saturday's conditions were much improved, showing short-lived glimpses of normality both to the west and to the east.
On both evenings, the HF bands (and probably 630m to a lesser extent) seemed to be very 'long', with few continental signals being heard. The long skip made it very hard, in some cases, to hear close-in callers on both 40 and 80m ... callers who would normally be 599. Particularly absent where callers from the closer WØ states and the easier W7 regions such as Nevada, Utah and Arizona ... areas that have been easily worked on previous crossband nights. It was also disappointing to not have anyone from the other VE regions call in. I hope it was just conditions and not from lack of trying, as it has been a struggle to generate much interest in the western provinces so far.
The biggest surprise and the highlight of the weekend was most assuredly the crossband contacts between the VE7 stations and Hawaii, with VA7MM, VE7CNF, VE7BDQ and VE7SL, all working Merv, K9FD/KH6 in Maunaloa on Moloka'i Island. Merv noted that all four VE7's were worked within a 25 minute window and all peaked at different times. A few minutes later, the 'tranpacific' path turned 'transcontinental' as NO3M in Pennsylvania, called VE7SL and exchanged 559/549 signal reports ... who would have thought that 630m could generate such magic! This band has so much exciting potential for amateurs, even for those confined to normal suburban backyard locations. Activity will surely skyrocket when U.S. amateurs get access to the band ... hopefully soon.
Several SWL reports were received from the U.S., with one of the most interesting coming on Saturday night, from the maritime operators at KSM, near San Francisco. As well, the Red Oak Victory shipboard station anchored near San Francisco, KYVM, sent a detailed report of several VE7 stations that they had heard.
Crossband Summaries
VE7BDQ :
VA7TA CN79 Courtenay, BC
K6LG DM13 Riverside, CA
VA7MM CN89 Port Coquitlam, BC
VE7KW CN89 Port Coquitlam, BC
K7HV CN87 Seattle, WA
VE7CA CN89 North Vancouver, BC
VE7CNF CN89 Burnaby, BC
VE7SL CN88 Mayne Island, BC
K7CW CN87 Tahuya, WA
VA7JX CN79 Campbell River, BC
VA7DXX CN89 Ladysmith, BC
K9FD/KH6 BL11 Maunaloa, HI
K7SS CN87 Seattle, WA
K6AIG DM04 Mandalay Bay, CA
VE7CNF :
KK7UV DN36 Missoula, MT
VA7MM CN87 Port Coquitlam, BC
K6GZ DM14 Esperia, CA
VA7TA CN79 Courtenay, BC
K6LG DM13 Riverside, CA
K7CW CN87 Tahuya, WA
VE7KW CN89 Port Coquitlam, BC
VE7BDQ CN89 Delta, BC
VA7DXX CN89 Ladysmith, BC
WØYSE CN85 Vancouver, WA
K9FD/KH6 BL11 Maunaloa, HI
VA7MM :
VE7KW CN89 Port Coquitlam, BC
VA7TA CN79 Courtenay, BC
K7CW CN87 Tahuya, WA
K9FD/KH6 BP11 Maunaloa, HI
WØYSE CN85 Vancouver, WA
K7SS CN87 Seattle, WA
VA7DXX CN88 Ladysmith, BC
VE7CA :
VE7SL CN88 Mayne Island, BC
VE7CNF CN89 Burnaby, BC
VE7BDQ CN89 Delta, BC
K7CW CN87 Tahuya, WA
VA7MM CN87 Port Coquitlam, BC
VO1NA :
VE1VDM FN85 Onslow, NS
VO1BQ GN37 St. John's, NL
VE7SL :
VE7KW CN89 Port Coquitlam, BC
KK7UV DN36 Missoula, MT
VA7MM CN87 Port Coquitlam, BC
K6GZ DM14 Esperia, CA
VA7TA CN79 Courtenay, BC
K7CW CN87 Tahuya, WA
K6LG DM13 Riverside, CA
VE7BDQ CN89 Delta, BC
VA7DXX CN88 Ladysmith, BC
VA7JX CN79 Campbell River, BC
K9FD/KH6 BP11 Maunaloa, HI
NO3M EN91 Saegertown, PA
K7SF CN85 Portland, OR
K7SS CN87 Seattle, WA
KGØD/7 CN88 Sequim, WA
W2VJN CN83 Roseburg, OR
It is readily apparent that acres of antenna space are not needed to enjoy 630m ... all of these stations operate out of normal-sized residential lots, with antennas planned and built well enough to exploit the propagation characteristics of 630m.
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| VA7MM antenna system. More info here. |
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| VE7CNF's homebrew PA. Website here. |
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| VE7BDQ's homebrew 2200m/630m duo-band tx. |
